Power of Niching Down
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Speaker: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. We're your hosts, Erica Radis and Marie Lifshultz, a realtor and lender here in San Antonio, but most importantly, we're working moms just like you.
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Speaker: Now, on to today's [00:01:00] episode.
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let's get started.
Speaker 2: Welcome to this week's episode of The Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. Today I have guest on Malika, and I'm gonna turn it over to her to talk about herself and all things branding.
Speaker 3: Yes, thank you so much for having me. Of course. My name is Malika Malhotra. I'm The Brand CEO. I am a brand strategist and a mentor for female entrepreneurs.
I like to call them the invisible experts. So they are good at what they do. They probably have an offer. They probably have an audience, but for some reason they're overlooked, they're overwhelmed, and they're underpaid. And to me, that becomes more of a strategic issue, that they are not really, um, specializing or niching or really getting [00:02:00] clear on their value, and not able to communicate that to their audience.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: So what I try to do is help them build that foundation so that they can become that go-to brand, right? The only and obvious choice in their industry, and there's no confusion about it. And hopefully, um, with their messaging, with their strategy, with their positioning, people are knocking on their door, opening up their wallets, and saying like, "Take my money.
I need your services." That's- Yeah ... that's what we hope for at the end of the day.
Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. That sounds amazing. Now, Mallika, why do you feel like this particular demographic, I guess us, like why, why do you feel like we're overlooked, and, and what do you think that's about?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think, you know, women entrepreneurs, that's kind of my niche, are female entrepreneurs that have been in business for maybe three to five years.
You have done all the things, right? And it's almost safe to be this Jane of all trades.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: It almost feels like, I can't be put into a box. I need to help [00:03:00] everyone. And in the beginning, I think that works because it's all an experiment. We're all trying to figure out who we are, who we serve really well, what do we do that, um, makes a difference, right?
Right. But there comes a point where you feel like it's not working anymore. There's too much competition. There's too much noise. And by positioning yourself as a more generic brand, a Jane of all trades, you're actually not allowing your audience to see what your worth is, to see how you stand out, to see what you are an expert in.
And I'm of the position that why not put a stake in the ground and say- Yeah ... I own this category. I am an expert in this. I stand out because of this. Instead of watering it down saying, "I help all women."
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Period.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: I don't know what you do. I don't know how to refer you. I don't know how to find you with any keywords.
So instead, it's like giving [00:04:00] context so that people can self-identify and see you as a solution to their problem. And honestly, by niching, by being more clear, that clarity part will allow them to connect with you faster, will allow them to trust you faster, and hopefully work with you faster.
Speaker 2: Right. No, that makes sense.
I, uh, I bet a lot of your clients are, are like me, where... Uh, well, I'm in real estate. Um, and there are a lot of us. It's kind of a joke around the city. It's like, there are so many. It's like, no, I know. Um, but initially in my career, uh, I think it was hard for me. You know, you're, you're hungry, right? Mm-hmm.
Like, you wanna do all the things, and so someone will be like, "Hey, can you do this?" It's like, "Yeah, I could do that." "Can you do this?" Like, "Yeah, it's... I can, I can do that." And so do you find that your clients, um, they're afraid to sort of narrow themselves in that way because they're worried they're gonna miss out on business?
Speaker 3: 100%.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: They are afraid. They don't wanna be put into a box. Often it's, "I'm a multi-passionate. I am [00:05:00] so good at all these different things." Sure. Um, they worry that if they narrow, then the revenue won't be there, right? Yeah. The paying customers won't be there. And I understand that, but the idea is, is that we're not niching and picking something out of the air.
We are looking at data. We are looking at your revenue. Where's your money coming from?
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: Often when I go through this exercise with my clients, I'll say, "Look at your roster Is there a pattern where most of them are in a certain industry? Most of them are in a se- certain season of business. Most of them had the same problem.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: That's a way of niching, right? So now you get more specific in that, um, group, and you're starting to segment it to smaller groups, right? And so we look a lot at, you know, where's the money coming from? Who do you love to work with?
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: Right?
Speaker 2: And that's so important as well.
Speaker 3: 100%, because- Yeah ... it's, it's gonna what- be what makes your business sustainable, [00:06:00] right?
What are you naturally good at? And the things that you feel like an imposter or you feel like, you know, it was so hard, why are we still doing those things?
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Someone else could do it better. Just refer. And the things that are in your zone of genius, people will know that. They will feel that. And there's this contagious energy of when you are in that lane that no one can take away from you.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: So it always, like, blows my mind when people are like, "Why would I..." Why wouldn't you want to? Yeah. You know, let's flip that. Let's reframe that. Why wouldn't you want to be doing what you're so good at, where the referrals are already coming from, where the bulk of your revenue is already there-
Speaker 2: Yeah
Speaker 3: and go all in and grow that even faster?
Speaker 2: Yeah. No, I mean, when you, when you word it that way, no, you're right. Why wouldn't we? Why wouldn't we? I think, like I said, it's a little bit scary at first. Yes. Um, you know, I, I [00:07:00] guess probably a lot of us have just really scraped and clawed to get to that three or five-year mark where it's like, "Hey, man, now we're a real business."
You know what I mean? Like, we're really making money, and this is okay. Like, what if I let one of these balls drop, you know, what's gonna happen? Um, but to your point, I imagine it brings in the type of clients that you'd like to work with, which maybe brings all of our cortisol levels down just a little bit.
Speaker 3: Yeah. And, and why not, like, flip it? Imagine it feeling empowering-
Speaker 2: Right ...
Speaker 3: that I'm finally doing what I'm really good at. I have no mixed messaging. I am not working with multiple audiences, with multiple plates in the air.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: One day I'm promoting this, the next day I'm talking to this different target, and the next day I'm worried about this.
It's very focused. It's very narrow. It's very easy and empowering and almost freeing because now you have one message for one audience. Maybe you're solving one problem. You're promising one transformation. It's like the power of one. Yeah. I talk about this a lot with my [00:08:00] clients. And I'm not saying that you need to put yourself in a box.
I call it like a, a bullseye. When I help my clients find their niche, I have like a bullseye brand formula. So you have a center of the bullseye, right? And so that's who you should be working with, but there are all these rings around the bullseye, and so some of your prospects might fall outside of your target, and then it becomes a choice.
Do I have the capacity to do this? Do I like this person? Right. Will this be an opportunity to maybe bring more business, right? Instead of thinking like, "Oh my gosh," you know, "I have to create an offer for this audience, and then I'm gonna create another offer for that audience, and they're totally separate audiences that have totally different messages."
If you're a solopreneur, and I am, you are- Yes ... like many of us are, it is not sustainable- No ... to do that. It's exhausting. It takes a lot of money, takes a lot of energy, and you're just not good at doing all of the things.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Um, you know, if you have a team or an agency, it's kind of a different story. But [00:09:00] this niching strategy, I think works really best for solopreneurs, especially in 2026 when there's so much competition and it's so saturated.
And with AI here- Yes ... that's making it very easy to get a lot of stuff done without hiring people. Right. It's more reason to position yourself as an expert in a niche that's irreplaceable.
Speaker 2: Yes. And now I guess, um, and I'm not super, super good at it, but I'm trying to learn. Um, you can have these AI things really hone in on that message and s- and, and speak to that almost, you know, in between the lines a little bit as well.
Um, and I just think that's the b- I mean, honestly, without AI, I couldn't be doing all the things. I- There's just no way ... it's
Speaker 3: your partner, right?
Speaker 2: Yeah. And
Speaker 3: your daily tasks.
Speaker 2: Sometimes it's your boyfriend.
Speaker 3: Yes.
Speaker 2: Sometimes it's your therapist.
Speaker 3: Yeah. It's your admin, your therapist- Yeah. ... your boyfriend. It's all the things.
Yes. Um, but I do think, like, if you can ask AI [00:10:00] the right questions- Yeah ... and give it really detailed, personalized information about your business, your mission, your vision, your values, it will help you craft the foundation of your brand just as much as I can as a brand strategist when- Right ... I'm working one-on-one.
But there is a responsibility with AI. Like, you cannot just put in, you know, bad information generates bad information, right? Yes. You have to put really intentional strategic information in. You have to give it prompts that are smart, that have an objective, there's a goal attached to it, um, and parameters for it to give you good outputs.
But then it's, it's not a copy-paste. It is a- Right ... guide to help you as you are building your brand, building your messaging, building your communications, your sales, all of those things. Um, I don't think you can just take what it gives you and then use that because guess what? Everybody else is too.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
And then [00:11:00] we all sound the same, right?
Speaker 3: Exactly.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Exactly. No, and that is a problem. Um, so it's... I, I guess maybe you can walk through, uh, with our listeners kind of what it looks like to work with a brand strategist. Um, you know, we hear personal branding and we hear- Mm-hmm ... I mean, all, just there's a lot- All the words
of things around branding, and there's the internet and, you know, there's all this different information. And so what does it look like to work with somebody that does what you do? Um, and then maybe you can talk a little bit about the, just the steps to niching down, um, especially if you're, if you're sort of all over the place like some of us are.
Speaker 3: Yeah. So, you know, what is a brand? A brand is the impression that you make in your prospect or consumer's mind when you're not there, right? So when you hear a brand name like Coca-Cola or, you know, Patagonia or, you know, any of these, Tiffany's, there's a impression it makes. There's an emotion attached to it, right?
Hopefully, if you're doing it right, you're creating an [00:12:00] experience. And so the strategy behind creating the brand is figuring out, you know, who you are, why you do this work, what do you believe in to give it the depth, right? Figuring out who you serve best, figuring out what is the problem that you are solving What is the transformation that you're creating, and then how are you different?
Those are just, you know, a few of the many questions that I ask my clients when we're starting to explore the brand. And when you have those answers, what it gives you is almost this roadmap where it allows you then to build the layers of the brand that's gonna create that depth and emotion and experience, rather than saying, "I am a fitness coach that works with women."
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: You know, it could be, I've worked with a client who started that way, and it ended up being, "I'm a fitness coach who works with women over 40 who are in peri and menopause and have done all the things that used to work when we [00:13:00] were 20-
Speaker 2: Yeah ...
Speaker 3: but don't work anymore," right?
Speaker 2: Yes, yeah. And then- It becomes more of a story
Speaker 3: It becomes a story.
Yeah. And, you know, and then her why is because she wants women to feel unstoppable, even at that stage of life when it feels like chaos and you're not in control anymore, right? Yeah. So it is creating a story behind the brand so that it's memorable, so that it sticks, so that it's referable, and so that the prospect or your audience feels seen-
Speaker 2: Yeah
Speaker 3: and has a sense of belonging, right? Like even with your brand, with, you know, your community, people feel that sense of belonging. You've created that intentionally.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, I hope so, yeah. We, I mean, you know, when we do things here, I like people to feel warm and at home and, and casual, 'cause that's just the way that we are here.
And, and I do find that people have said, you know, that they, that they relate to that and they, you know, they, they enjoy that. And so, yes, we do try to do those things I think for the most part. Yeah, but it
Speaker 3: shows the difference- Yeah ... like your brand [00:14:00] versus a BNI. Not one is better than the other- Totally, right
but there's a certain feeling, right? Right. Or a certain personality that attracts a certain person.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: And so yours feels very different than a BNI, right? Right. Where it's more transactional-
Speaker 2: Sure ...
Speaker 3: versus warm, welcoming, nurturing community vibe.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: Um, you're, you know, I've been on your website.
People are bringing their children.
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 3: You know? That would never happen at a BNI meeting.
Speaker 2: No, I suppose not. Yeah.
Speaker 3: So even how polarizing those two are is actually such a good thing.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Because then people can say I don't wanna bring my kid. I don't wanna be around kids." Well, guess what? It's not for you, and that's great.
Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah. That's right.
Speaker 3: That's great. There are other options for you. 'Cause sometimes people will say like, "I, I don't wanna be, you know, like, so distinct because then what about this person or that person?" And I kinda think like, why do we wanna help everybody? Yeah. I think it's the woman and the mothers in us, right?
It is. It's like-
Speaker 2: Yes. [00:15:00]
Speaker 3: There are... Delegate, refer. There are other people that are good at those things.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: Stay in your lane, cultivate that lane, grow that lane, be really well-known for that lane, so that when you're not in the room, everybody knows that you own that lane and they are building your business for you when you're not even there.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that makes total sense. Do you feel like a lot of your business is a, doing a little bit of hand-holding as we kind of go through the
Speaker 3: Yes
Speaker 2: You know, my business is also that, but in a very different way, but I mean, sometimes I feel like, you know, a lot of women in business, we are a little bit of a therapist and a little bit of this- Yes
and a little bit of this, you know, as we do hand-holding. So
Speaker 3: There's a lot of hand-holding, and there's also a lot of reassurance.
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 3: Um, there's... But what I love most about being a brand strategist, because it's really about helping my clients have that clarity, and once they have that clarity, it's a shift into confidence.
And it's all muddled in the [00:16:00] beginning, right? It's like very confusing, and they're looking at what the competitors are doing, and they wanna kind of be like that, but they know they have their own story, but they don't know what's p- important in their story. Yeah. So they have this kitchen sink story that talks about all of the things.
And so when we start cleaning those up and we start really curating what the story is based on Their essence, their personality, their skillset, you know, their mission, their vision, like all the things, and show... I can show them, "This is where you are versus everyone else, and this is where the opportunity is, and this is how we can keep pulling you apart so that no one else can say what you're saying."
It's almost like this aha moment- Right ... where then they're like, "I didn't even think about that."
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Whereas I can kind of see it, but they just haven't seen it.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, that's why you're doing what you're doing. Um, do you, do you advise people look at their competition, like to see what's going on [00:17:00] and- Yes
and that kind of
Speaker 3: thing? But don't get obsessed.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I mean, just strategically, we kind of have to know what is a prospect, who are they looking at also.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Right? Where is there overlap between me and maybe two or three, um, other competitors? But I don't think you need to look more than that. And then when you see those two and three, and AI can help you with this, you can drop their website, you can drop all the information about those other competitors and ask AI, you know, "These are my competitors.
You know all about me. Help me map the four of us out to see, identify where is there overlap, where are they doing something different than I am, where is there opportunity, you know, where should we not be going into because there's too much noise in that area?" Um, but you kind of have to know because then you might wanna fine-tune some of your messaging to pull you apart from them.
Speaker 2: Right. That makes sense.
Speaker 3: Yeah. So, but definitely don't go into the black hole of, you know... And we [00:18:00] all have done it. Oh, yes. We're all guilty of this, you know. I'm scrolling in, you know, middle of the night and being like, "This brand strategist has her, all of her stuff together, right?" Right. And, um, but you know, we just kind of have to put those barriers up and just look at it strategically, kind of like as a map.
This is where they are, this is where I am, and this is kind of the direction that I should continue to push forward in.
Speaker 2: Yeah. That makes sense. Um, what do you think, now there's the Instagram, and there's the Facebook, and the TikToks, and the YouTubes, and then like email marketing and like all the things.
If, if somebody is relatively new, I know your clients are maybe sometimes a little bit further along, but what do you recommend people work on maybe either first or... 'Cause it's just, it is so hard to do all of that. Yes. You know, especially in the beginning.
Speaker 3: So what I would say is where are your clients?
Where- Yeah ... what are they consuming? Like, if they're not on TikTok, don't worry about TikTok.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: If they're not, you know, on Threads- Take it off. Why, why do it? Yeah. Why waste your time? [00:19:00] Where are they? What are they consuming? Um, and then go on those platforms. And pick two. Start with two, because it's a, it's a sustainability game, right?
Like, you have to pick two, and you have to like those platforms, because if you don't, you're not gonna be able to be consistent, and if you're not consistent, then it's a wasted effort, right? Right. So I always say start small. Pick the two that you know your ideal... And this is where you have to know your ideal client, right?
Yeah. What are they consuming? Where, where are they? Um, where are they getting information? Where are they getting, um, referrals from? So once you pick those platforms, then go all in on those platforms, and then see how that makes a difference in your business. Maybe it's not social media. Yeah. Maybe it's networking and speaking.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: Maybe it's email and networking. Who knows? Um, what works for someone else might not work for you, right? Right. So I think it's a combination of, again, seeing where your ideal client is and also where you love to be or what you [00:20:00] like to do. It's a good match with your skill set, because if it's not a good match, you're gonna get drained, you're gonna get overwhelmed, and then you're gonna stop.
Speaker 2: Yeah. No, I love that you brought that up, and it's, it's funny, like Everyone's always... Now everybody's talking about the LinkedIn.
Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: I know it's so important. I understand. I hate LinkedIn. I hate it. Like, it is so boring, and it is, you know, all of that. And so my LinkedIn is terrible. But you hear, like, you know, again, there's all this noise out there that's like, "Now you gotta be on the LinkedIn because of, you know, X, Y, Z," and I'm like, "Oh, gosh, you just can't make me do it."
And so, um, mine is not good. But I like that the advice that you've now given me is maybe that's okay. Maybe I don't have to maybe I don't have to be on the LinkedIn if I don't wanna be. Or
Speaker 3: maybe you have to delegate it. Yeah. If your clients are on there but it doesn't fit kind of, like, your heart- Ugh, it's just so boring
it's not fulfilling you- Yeah. ... then maybe you need to delegate it. Or maybe you have to reframe it of, like, why is it so boring? Yeah. Or
is there an expectation of, like, you think a certain content [00:21:00] needs to be on it? And maybe you rock the boat and you do what you want on LinkedIn.
Speaker 2: Yeah,
Speaker 3: that's true. And maybe that helps you stand out even more, because most people are expecting the articles and the more professional content. But if you're, you know, doing your own thing and bringing it there, that can, might be the best thing you could ever do.
Speaker 2: Huh, how interesting. I never thought of that. Yeah, I mean, for me, I guess it's just because it is so very, uh, professional. Not that I'm not professional, but it's just, you know, it is a lot of articles and, like, a lot of blazers and, and you know, all of that.
Speaker 3: But I think it could be exactly what maybe your audience needs.
It's, like, something different.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Something refreshing. Wow, she's not in a blazer and a suit. Yeah. And she's, like, you know, on the beach with her kids and talking to me about business.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: True.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you never know. But yeah, I think-
Speaker 3: It's worth trying ...
Speaker 2: for sure. For sure. Yeah. Um, but I, but I like that point that you should do, stick, at least stick to the things that, you know, you like because otherwise you're, you, you'll burn yourself out.
Speaker 3: Yes. Yes.
Speaker 2: And we're already [00:22:00] all so burnt out.
Speaker 3: And you, and that goes back to also with niching, right? So you had asked me, like, how do people find their niche, and a lot of that is what are you passionate about in your business? Right. You know, what do you, can you do every morning? Like, you wake up and you're springing out of bed and you're, like, so excited to do it, or the work that you, like, look up and you're like, "Oh my God, I've been doing this for two hours.
I had no idea I was doing this," right?
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Um, and then the things that feel like you wanna, you know, shoot yourself, pay attention to that too, because that's not helping your business, you know? Right. You wanna, like, really, um, delegate those out or remo- see how you can maybe remove those from your business.
Um, but you wanna look at specialize. That's one of the core elements. Like, how can you become an expert? What are you known for already? And sometimes that means asking your audience, asking your peers, asking your community And hopefully you're not surprised that someone might say, like if someone said, "Oh, you know, Maliek..."
If they didn't [00:23:00] say brand strategy or niche strategy, I'd be shocked. Yeah. If they said like podcasting, I'd be like, "What does that even mean? That's not what I do." Yeah. Right? Yeah. So, you know, to kind of get that honest truth of what people are saying you're an expert in. And so you, you kind of want to cultivate that, what you are a specialist in.
You want that to be known. You want it to be communicated in your elevator pitch, to your blog post, on your website. And then you also wanna get clear on your audience. We talked about this. Yeah. How specific can you be? It doesn't help when you are very broad and you say, you know, "I help men CEOs, male CEOs."
Okay, it's a little niche, but like tell me more, right? Mm-hmm. Is it male CEOs who've been, you know, in business for two decades and are ready to exit and retire, but looking for a, a new side hustle? Oh, okay. Now that paints a picture, so I know more specifically of who that person is. So that's the next layer.
The third is for [00:24:00] your niche, how do you stand out? Are there things that make you different than others? And this is the hardest question.
Speaker 2: I was gonna say, I feel like that is what people struggle with. Yes. Because I know it would me. Like, um Like I said, I mean, what I do is pretty cut and dry. You know what I mean?
It's like I help people buy a house, I help people sell a house. Those are the things I do, you know? And so it's like, what does make me different? Um, and I know we've had many conversations with many of the gals here, um, in the working moms and all of that. And so I think it's hard to think outside of what you do.
Speaker 3: Right.
Speaker 2: Um, so I imagine that probably is the hardest.
Speaker 3: Yeah. But it could be personality. You talked a lot about that, right? Like you're not in a, a suit and it's more casual or more accessible or more warm and welcoming and nurturing. Yeah. And there's a vibe there. So sometimes the vibe could be your standout.
Maybe your standout is for you, for what I see, just, you know, top line is you're a realtor, but you also have a community.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: How many other realtors have that? You stand out because you've cultivated [00:25:00] this robust, vibrant community because that's what you're passionate about is bringing working moms together.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Um, so not every realtor has that. Yeah. And you have this space, and you have this podcast, so you have like all of these other layers that make you different. So s- sometimes we just can't see it- Yeah ... 'cause we're so close to it. But that's where, you know, a brand strategist or someone in, you know, in your peer group can kind of remind you of like, "Listen, not everybody's doing this.
You know, you are really doing something different." And then the last piece is how you solve the problem. Maybe if you're a web designer, maybe you solve and do, you, you do a website in a week, right? So it's like a time thing. Maybe it's you're a website designer, but you only do WordPress, so now you're niching b- be- because of the technology behind it, right?
Mm-hmm. So there are all these different ways to get more narrow instead of just saying, "I'm a web designer." Yeah. You could be like, "I'm a web [00:26:00] designer that specializes in, um- Maybe it's an aesthetic, like bold, beautiful, uh, thought- you know, eye-catching websites that are dynamic with video in motion, right?
For speakers, because they need that, right? And I do websites in a week. So now all of a sudden, it's not just I'm a website designer. We know that they specialize in this bold, dynamic, motion-oriented website. We know that they really work well with speakers because speakers have speaking reels, and they need that.
Yeah. Right? And then they do it in a week. So if someone is a speaker, they're gonna be more likely to hire that person than go to someone who just said, "I just do websites."
Speaker 2: Right. Of course.
Speaker 3: So just as an example of how that niching can really help you cut through the noise and get someone to say yes more quickly.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, I think sometimes we forget that there are just [00:27:00] so many people out in this world.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: And, and
Speaker 3: so
Speaker 2: it's okay to feel like you're talking to a specific group because that group may turn out to be fairly large as well, you know?
Speaker 3: Yes, and it most likely is. I mean, with the digital world right now- Yeah
it doesn't mean you have to work only in your geographical area. Right. Right? Like, I have clients all over the world because I can work virtually. Obviously, if you're a realtor, you're in a certain area. Yes. Well,
Speaker 2: yes.
Speaker 3: Um, but there are other ways to scale, like you could teach about real- real estate- Sure.
Of course ... and selling, and that means that you could be teaching people from all over the world. So there's different ways to scale your business. And so I think niching doesn't mean that... It's almost putting a spotlight versus thinking of it as, like, putting yourself in a box. Instead, you're putting a spotlight on what you do really well so that more people can see you.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, I like that. Um, I wanna talk about personal branding a little bit. I know that, um, personal branding is a big thing right now, uh, [00:28:00] especially with so many people, I believe, like, leaving corporate type jobs and that kind of stuff. Um, but a lot of the gals here will often say, like, "How much personal do I share in my business brand?"
And what are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 3: Yeah, so I kind of am a bel- I am a believer of we need to put personal into the brand, right? But we also have to understand our ideal client and what they want to know about us personally.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: So there's a lens there, right? It's not just saying, "I'm gonna speak about politics and religion- Oh, gosh.
Yeah. ... and family." No. Like- Through the eyes of my ideal client, and again, we should all know who that person is really, really well, what do they wanna know about me? Maybe they wanna know what my hobbies are. Maybe there's a bridge that they're also moms, so I need to talk about my family and what we do when we're on vacation, right?
Maybe they are lifelong learners and I'm gonna talk about what I'm reading, what kind [00:29:00] of, um, books I'm reading or what, you know, webinars I'm listening to, what podcasts I'm li- listening to. That's all personal information, right? Right. And what that does is it allows you to build that know, like, and trust factor.
And so instead of it being a transactional relationship where I'm buying from an expert, it becomes something deeper, and it becomes like I know this person because she's shared some information that's relevant to me- Yeah ... the prospect, the audience, and now I feel like I can trust her. Now I feel like, you know, if I'm gonna hire a copywriter, I know that relationship isn't one and done in a few hours.
It's a long relationship, right? It's gonna be a couple weeks, and so I wanna make sure I feel comfortable. I wanna make sure that I can relate to her.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: And so that's where that personal information comes in. Um, so yes, I do think you can share the personal, but I think you have to think about what personal stories that your ideal client wants to hear.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. I mean, it's [00:30:00] tough, you know Nowadays, you don't wanna share too much.
Speaker 3: Right.
Speaker 2: Uh, but I agree with you. I mean, I think you've got to. It's what makes us people, you know? It what, it's what makes us know that it's not just a, you know, a robot or something- Exactly ... behind the communication.
Speaker 3: And it should be, like, 70/30 or 60/40, right, where it's not transactional and robotic. There's a real human behind the brand, right? Yeah. And it could be the personal is, how did I start this business?
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: What's the blood, sweat, and tears that went into this business? What's my mission and my big why, why I wake up every morning for this business?
What is the vision that I see? Why do I do this work? What's that, like, future vision that I see for all these women that I'm working with? That's personal.
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 3: But it's part of the business.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: And so-
Speaker 2: Still relevant.
Speaker 3: Still relevant. So when you're sharing that personal stories, it almost allows your audience to feel a part of something bigger, too.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: And that's what we all want, [00:31:00] right? We want, of course, to get the problem solved, the transaction done. We wanna buy the product, want a service, but we also wanna be part of something bigger. And I think that personal side, that personal brand that you're building, that reputation that you're building, has to be built not only on your skill set, not only on your expertise, but also on your human side.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Definitely. I mean, I know I feel more connected with brands when I see a little bit of personality in there.
Speaker 3: Um- Yeah, like look at Spanx, right? Right. Spanx brand, but then we know the founder. She's goofy. She's funny. Um, you kind of ha- you, you, you feel a connection, and then you feel a stronger connection to the brand because of her.
Right. Right? So there's a lot of instances where, you know, even, I always say, like, Peloton, right? Peloton has all the classes, but we all have our favorite instructor.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: Yes. And that's a personal brand.
Speaker 2: That's so true.
Speaker 3: Right? And so it brings us back to Peloton, if it's a meditation, if it's a [00:32:00] ride with Cody, like, we all know- Yeah
because that's their personal brand that's attached and part of the umbrella brand.
Speaker: Yeah, definitely. Um,
Speaker 2: well, towards the end of our interview, sometimes we ask people if they have anything new or exciting going on. Do you have anything to share with our listeners about stuff you've got going on?
Speaker 3: Yeah, so I am working on a new AI product.
Okay. Um, I really do- dove deep into AI and how to build tools for my audience that make brand strategy more accessible and more affordable because not anyone can hire brand strategists, right? Right. Because there's, is investment in time and investment in money. And so because I have all of these proven frameworks that I use with my one-on-one clients, what I've tried to do is to create products using AI that helps you get a similar experience, but AI-powered.
And so I have a new product called the Bullseye Brand Report coming out in the fall of 2026, which will ask 10 questions, kind of like the questions [00:33:00] that I share that I go through with my clients that are on brand strategy. Yeah. And when you answer them, AI takes your personal answers that are, you know, customized to you and puts it through my frameworks and generates this very beautiful, robust report that gives you the clarity of things like your ideal client, what's keeping them up at 2:00 AM?
What is the problem that you're solving? What's the promise that you're offering? What's the transformation? Things that are very hard to articulate, right? That the normal person who's just trying to run their business but doesn't have that strategic critical mind for brand strategy, it's hard for them.
Speaker 2: Sure.
Speaker 3: It's gonna give you your elevator pitch. It's gonna give you, you know, content pillars that your brand can start speaking about. All these different things that make the language of your brand much easier to sell, to communicate, and to share, to hopefully grow your brand faster.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: So pretty excited about it.
That's gonna be coming out in the fall. And, you know, once you answer those questions, within, like, that [00:34:00] same day, you'll get this report in your inbox.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: The power of AI. AI gives you the speed. AI helps you with the customization. I'm definitely, like, a dinosaur in this whole tech thing, but I have developers that are helping me create this, so.
I love
Speaker 2: that.
Speaker 3: It's fun, but it's also, like, very uncomfortable.
Speaker 2: Yes, yes. Well, the best things are.
Speaker 3: Yes, yes. But I'm excited about it. I've been working with... I've seen the final product, and I just think it's gonna be really helpful for, you know, people that are just starting or people that are rebranding or someone that's bringing, let's say, a web designer on their team or a VA.
Yeah. But they need to share the core of the brand, right? Right. So now you have this report that you can share with your team, that you can use and put into your own Chat or Claude that's gonna know your brand in order to create better outputs.
Speaker 2: Yes. Honestly, I feel like that's such a game changer. Like, that would've been huge when I was even starting this.
You know, we had to go through so many different trials and tribulations, as you do when you're first starting- Yes ... about what we wanted the brand to look like, and I couldn't pay for a brand, you [00:35:00] know- Yeah ... a brand person. And so if this is something that can help, like, the, the early goers kind of really hone in, um, their marketing, I mean, I think that's just huge.
Speaker 3: Yeah. And that's what I'm hoping for, because it's... You know you have a good idea, you have a good brand and business. You just, sometimes you don't have the language to communicate. Right. Right? You're saying too much, you're saying too little, you're saying the wrong things. Um, so hopefully this will give people that clarity, which will lead to the confidence, that will lead to conversions.
Speaker 2: Yes. I love that. I love that. Um, and then lastly, will you share, uh, with our listeners how they can get ahold of you?
Speaker 3: Yes. So my website is thebrandceo.com. I'm also @thebrandceo on Instagram, which I love, so I'd love to connect with you there. Ask me a question in my DMs. I'm always happy to answer. And, um, you can find out, you know, news about the Bullseye Brand Report coming soon, all on those platforms as well.
Speaker 2: Oh, perfect. Okay, well, we will put all that in the show notes too, so that way you're just a click away. Um, but thank you so much for being on. This was [00:36:00] so great.
Speaker 3: Yes. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 2: Of course. And thank you to our listeners for tuning in to this week's episode, and we'll catch you guys next time.
Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. We hope you loved today's chat and found a little inspiration to take with you into your week. If you have a podcast topic suggestion, or a question you'd love for us to cover, definitely send us an email at [email protected].
We'd love to hear from you. And until next time, see you in the [00:37:00] community
